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Summer 2013 4-H Camping Continues, with Changes, at Iowa 4-H Center

AMES, Iowa — Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is committed to maintaining a sustainable 4-H youth development program that provides quality educational programs for Iowa youth — including camping experiences. However, there will be some changes in the camping experiences that the Iowa 4-H Program will offer at the Iowa 4-H Center this summer.

“The original intent was to offer a full camp schedule for summer 2013 at the Iowa 4-H Center near Madrid,” said Cathann Kress, vice president for ISU Extension and Outreach. “However, we must limit the scope of programming we are able to offer at the center, due to staff changes and budget realities.”

The 4-H camp program specialist has resigned to take another position, said LuAnn Johansen, assistant director for the Iowa 4-H program. Program staff are being hired to facilitate camp programs including archery, aquatics, climbing wall, creek walks and science.

The traditional special interest residential and day camps offered to the general public will not be available this summer. All existing rental commitments at the Iowa 4-H Center are being honored. However, no additional non-4-H rentals are being secured by the Iowa 4-H Program.

Some of the 4-H camps that have been confirmed at the center from June through early August include Southwest Iowa Camp, North Central Region 6 Camp, ISU Extension Region 15 Camp, Photography Camp, Design Condensed Camp, Pocahontas County Day Camp and Tri-County (Story, Boone, Marshall) Junior Camp. The Immersion in Wellness camp also will continue at the Iowa 4-H Center this summer, Johansen said.

“We hope to add other 4-H camping experiences at the center this summer,” Johansen said.

“Camping experiences provided by the Iowa 4-H program extend beyond those camps held solely at the Iowa 4-H Center,” Johansen continued. “ISU Extension and Outreach is committed to providing multiple opportunities for youth to experience camp. Multiple day camps and local overnight camps will continue to be offered throughout the state at other locations tied to our county or regional 4-H programs.”

The ISU Extension and Outreach 4-H Youth Development management team is consulting with camping experts from across the national 4-H system to determine potential solutions to enhance and sustain Iowa 4-H camping opportunities into the future, Johansen said.

“K-12 youth outreach is an important niche for Iowa State University and 4-H is our flagship program,” added Kress. “Focusing Extension and Outreach efforts on our core mission will help 4-H in Iowa become a stronger program that reaches more youth, is more efficient and effective, and is widely known as the premiere example of youth outreach in the nation.”